Two years ago, things had changed for whom people know today as the Black Panther. Khalfani Morningstar had been born and the path he set out was one of destruction and revenge. Not to be overly edgy, but all the young child had known for their whole life was pain and agony. The world had given up on him a long time ago, and whether or not the gods had a hand in forging that fate was a different story but...they made a vow that they would avenge their soul. It was why the vampire was so cold and straight forward. He wasn't always this way. Hell, nobody is just born like this. Everything he thought about centered his mission, even if that meant sacrificing opportunities to create real friends or genuine relationships. The sun had rejected the Black Panther, and so the sun would face the wrath of darkness...one day. No distractions, he told himself. Nothing and nobody mattered, he proclaimed, but then Amir came along.

Amir came along and completely threw him in a whirl. The Desiertan Prince had only met the man today, but something clicked in his own heart? Maybe it was magic, but whatever it was, Khalfani wanted to explore it. When he met the Desiertan of Infinity Wolves, it wasn't just the sexual tension. It was this pulling sense of belonging he had felt in the wolf's gaze. Ew. Khal thought. It was disgusting. He wasn't the type to take folks on a date or even pursue them really. Yet he had found himself leaving Eternal Nightmare dressed up with gold chains and a gray blazer and entering a carriage. The vampire stopped outside of the guild hall and looked at his ride. It was a beautiful cream colored carriage with gold designs all over it. The horses were white, just like he ordered. The perks of being a Morningstar, the son of Odin, ultimately made him royalty in Oak city. It meant that he could get shit like this with minimal effort and money. Thanks pops.

The chauffeur dropped the riding crop, hopped off of the saddle-chair and opened the door to the carriage. "Mr. Morningstar." the chauffeur slightly bowed. Khalfani nodded with a warm smile, "Thank you." he said before climbing in with one yellow daffodil. The first stop was Amir's hotel, not too far from the guild of Eternal Nightmares. Khalfani sat in the carriage as it pulled off, pulling the paper Amir had given him from his pocket to make sure he had gotten the directions right. Sure enough, he did. The Vampire rubbed his hands through his hair, peeking through the carriage's window. The civilians of Oak city watched as the majestic-like carriage rode through the streets. They probably thought it was someone extremely famous or overly wealthy. Here in Fiore, Khalfani was neither, just like he liked it.

Today though, he was certainly obligated to show out. In Desierto Amir would have gotten a more royal treatment, but this would suffice. The best of the best in Oak city. The date tonight was thoroughly planned. A show, then a visit to a place Amir would undoubtedly enjoy, then a more private dinner or a bath. Khalfani hadn't decided if they were to do both or one. Regardless, they would figure it out when the time came.

The moon goddess danced in the sky as her glory radiated the streets. The skies were clear, as the stars danced alongside the goddess. Hopefully nothing would ruin this night. Truth be told, Khalfani was rather nervous. A date meant that there could be a future with Amir, and a future meant that he would have to open up. Was he ready for this? Who the hell knew, but he was tired of trekking through the lands in loneliness. That vow of independence disregarded the potential for legacy and love. So, here he was giving it a try. "We have arrived, sir." the chauffeur said. With a sigh of relief, Khal braced himself before opening the carriage door slowly to step down in front of Amirs hotel. "Nine O'clock on the dot." He smirked.

The night moon was rising and Amir was rushing. He had made it back to the hotel but did not have anything to wear. Leaving the Eternal Nightmare guild hall the first thing he had to do was go shopping. It took some time till he settled on a white tuxedo of sorts, with silver accents and golden jewels. It highlighted his skin tone and made him look pretty. Amir was going to be luminous under the moonlight. He wanted to attract the Black Panther to the best of his abilities. Amir even went all out to apply his make up, a touch of blush, and the perfect amount of grease to make his hair shine. Amir looked in the mirror and was ecstatic about the beauty he could see.

After making sure he was ready he had a few minutes to spare. He could sit in excitement and nervousness. He laid on the bed in the room letting his mind wander. He went over the details of the mysterious sorcerer he met earlier. From seeing them in a bathrobe that showed off their muscles and beautiful lines. The mysterious golden eyes that barraged his soul and set his heart ablaze. Amir viewed the beauty that radiated from Khal to be almost a force to be worshiped. The fact that they had a date just filled him with excitement. Amir could only hope that they would not rip his heart out.

In his nervousness he got up to look out the hotel window. A luxury carriage caught his attention. He wondered what sort of noble could do such a thing. Seeing a carriage and being dressed up reminded him of the lavish parties he attended in Minstrel. At the time he had to occupy himself in the large ballrooms, communicating with people that were completely bored. A carriage this lavish was a shock to see in a city like this. Amir could only wish it was Khal coming to pick him up. The thought of being treated like a princess amused him.

The shock on his face, when his date stepped out the carriage could power a city. It was a deep excitement and joy as he looked at them in full splendor. They looked more regal than ever. Amir could not believe that he got a model to take him out. Amir walked to the door, making sure to take the time to straighten his outfit out. He walked down the stairs and out the door when Khal fully stepped down. “You made it right on time. I actually just finished getting ready.” It was a small lie as he was waiting a bit. “I cannot wait to see what you have in store.” Amir gave a bright and happy smile. Ready to go, allowing his dark date to take the lead.

Khalfani's eyes widened as Amir revealed himself. Majestic, if a word could describe anything at this moment in time. In fact, he out-dressed the nightmare mage himself. The Chauffeur waited for the duo with the carriage door open as Amir began speaking. He had just finished getting ready and expressed that he was indeed excited to see what Khalfani had in store. Stepping closer, the Panther would smirk like the demon he was. "I think you'll enjoy the night." Amir was lucky that the vampire had his monstrous instincts under control, because if he didn't he would have fed off of the Desiertan the moment he seen him. He just looked that...delicious.

"You look... جميل" Slowly, he would pull the yellow daffodil from behind him and move closer towards his ravishing date. "I was gonna get a rose but a daffodil is different and it reminds me of you." He began looking directly into Amir's eyes. "يمثل بدايات جديدة. نأمل أن يجلب الحظ." He said before putting his hand out for Amir to take, guiding him into the carriage.

Amir was joyful to receive the flower. It was the first and only gift he had ever received. Not including his mom when he was a small child. Signs of affection and gifts were just not a thing he was raised on. It touched his heart more than words. The scholar knew the symbolism of the flower before his date even told him. “أعتقد أنه يعمل بالفعل.” The reply was instantaneous.

Looking into the golden eyes of his date. Amir placed his hand on top of the one offered. He would allow himself to be helped into the carriage. If he was going to be treated like royalty he would at least act like it. Amir was not thrilled about his Minstrel family. He had to admit that their training taught him a lot.

The inside of the carriage was just as fabulous. Amir sat in the cushioned chair and would wait for his date to join him. “إذا كان هذا هو فاتح الشهية لا استطيع الانتظار لرؤية الطبق الرئيسي.” He would speak as the nightmare panther sat.

Amir slid into the carriage and Khal followed behind. This night would surely be one for the books. The sorcerer couldn't help but smile as Amir spoke. The slim deity seemed to be pleased with the carriage at the very least, which was a relief. The horses hooves clicked and clacked against the concrete as they rode through the city of Oak. Outside the windows were lit up with houses and restaurants alike. It seemed like the whole town was alive, embracing the energy in the atmosphere. It was almost as beautiful as the Desiertan beside the Black Panther. "Oh really?" he asked innocently and genuinely surprised, a version of him truly never seen before. He rubbed the back of his head with a chuckle as he usually did when he was embarrassed. "So I didn't overdo it? I was nervous that you'd think I was just some guy flaunting money like a dickhead with rich parents or somethin'." He sighed. Technically, he was just some asshole with rich parents, but hey. The carriage wobbled over the cobblestone, making random turns every so often to get to the destination. Any second now and they would be there.

The ambience of the night was already filled with more magic than any spell Amir could use. Amir could practically feel the mana radiating through the air. Even the stars popping out in the night sky were filled with a radiance that made the city surprisingly beautiful. The people out of the carriage would try to peer inside and see an image to write about. If Amir could only predict the amount of secret novels that could be spun from the view.

“I am more of a realist even if my head enjoys being in a pile of books. It is the little things that can change a big picture. You were a gentleman to ask me out, as well as escort me inside the carriage. That says less flaunting and more paying attention to me. If you were flaunting then you would have started bragging about yourself.”  Amir chucked as he finished his observation. The scholar may lack dating experience of his own but he had a wealth of knowledge regarding people. “At the time I just took it at face value when you said you were royalty. I did not believe it 100 percent. It is something that can be considered a bit harder to believe. Besides, spending time in Minstrel with my family was all about balls and appearances. You get used to a certain level of luxury.”

The small talk would continue as long as it was needed. Amir aimed to keep the conversation flowing. He would reveal little tidbits about himself as they traveled. Listening intently to anything that his companion would reveal as well. A dark thought did cross his mind at some point. He thought it would be terrible if this was a trap, and his body would be found the next morning.

The vampire knew Amir had to have come from a line of people with class. It all made sense when the wolf revealed that he was Minstreli. The people of Minstrel were known for being fancy pricks, though Amir was unlike the ones Khalfani had heard of. He seemed to be sweet. In that aspect, perhaps the Panther didn't deserve Amir at all. "Ahh, it all makes sense now. I was wondering where your last name came from. Plus, the class, the grace.. it's the elegance for me. You embody the Minstreli culture." Khalfani teased with a devilish smirk after Amir revealed a bit about his background.

The vampires tone was unusually calm and gentle. Normally it carried the harsh realities of his own life, but this man brought out a different side of them without even trying. The Panther didn't at all find it odd that the green-eyed man hadn't assumed him to be royalty. One would think Amir embodied the traits of a Prince more than Khal actually did. After all, Khal was so different from the rest of his family. The way he dressed, how he spoke, even down to his physical traits were different. He could pretend to fit in but in reality, it just wasn't in his heart. Being a Prince of a nation that prided itself off of its riches contradicted with who he was as a person, yet at the same time...perhaps that's why he needed to rule. Royalty didn't always mean leadership, especially not in Desierto. Most of the times it meant playing dress up and pretending to have all of the answers.

"I can see why. I'm not exactly...the best at playing my role as Prince, but, do you believe me now?" The sand wolf would learn soon enough that his date did not lie. The carriage stopped alongside other parked carriages just as beautiful if not more beautiful than the one they were in.

The compliments did not go to his head. They went to his heart. The heart that was beating in his chest at a hundred miles per minute listening to the black panther. Amir was really feeling their connection. It was soft and strong. A connection that would just as easily suffocate him in the embrace of it if he remained uncareful. Their connection was new; only the fires of time could fortify the newly growing bond.

“You do not have to play any role with me. I just want to get to know you. Fiction is fine for viewing but nonfiction is better for life.” Amir was sounding like some type of mushy romance card. If the old him could hear it, he would have slapped himself into a coma. Romance was not a luxury he could afford. The Amir of old could only read it in a book. It was funny how reading about romance back then was the most unrealistic part of any story to him.

The carriage came to a stop and Amir opened the door this time. He stepped out before Khalfani could get the chance and held his own hand out. “This time. I serve you. Since you are a prince the least I can do is help you out.” Amir said the word prince in a teasing tone. Belaying amusement at trying to make his mate squirm. He lacked the ability to see the giant castle as his eyes were already filled with the most beautiful sight around. The view of Khalfani.

Amir's romantic language was something Khalfani wasn't at all used to. He had never paid much attention to his own insecurities, but Amir had seen through one. With nobility came power that Khalfani just wasn't ready for, hell, he didn't even want it. With a smile, Khal turned towards Amir and kissed his cheek.

"Spoken like a true bookworm." He joked. When the carriage came to a stop, the rider didn't even have time to opened the door. Instead, Amir Nuit was first to push the door open for the Panther. Surprised, but not disappointed, the Nightmare mage chuckled. His date joked about his prince-hood which was met with a slightly louder chuckle.

"*Hahaha* I just love when my subjects do my bidding. Thank you." He said playfully with a little bow. Without wasting another moment, he grabbed the wolf's hand and stepped down, maneuvering his arm under his own as they stood in front of the steps.



"Damn..." Khalfani said softly. The building in front of them was like nothing ever seen before. Something out of a romance novel. Small sprites flew around the castle drawing lines and shapes in the air. The building was huge. Bigger than any other building in oak besides Eternal Nightmare and the Lords castle.

"Look at this thing." He turned to Amir excitedly. Booking reservations for this thing was no small feat. The vampire wanted tonight to be extravagant but he wanted Amir to enjoy it even more. Tonight, he was royalty. A devilish smirk sat on his face. "Well...whaddya think, Amir?"

Amir simply raised an eyebrow and made a playful smirk. He found the subjects and bidding comments to be amusing. Amir allowed himself to be grabbed as they stood in front of the staircase. The building they came to was simply stunning to behold. The ambient mana in the air alone made Amir believe the place was costly.

“Please tell me you did not go all out on this.” Amir made the statement since the opulence of the place made him nervous. He did not want to be beneath Khal when it came to contributions to the relationship. If this place was so far out of the bounds he could give, the only thing Amir could give instead was his own loyalty.

“I have to admit Khal, your taste is pretty extravagant. I hope I dressed well enough. Not that being next to a sexy beast like yourself does much for my looks. I wonder what made you choose this place?” Amir was laying down the tracks for his game as they walked together. Truthfully speaking Amir was not as excited about the place as he let on. The real sense of enjoyment came from the fact that he was being doted on at all. Amir loved the intention he was getting from his potential mate.

Amir could see the people checking Khal out as they walked. Smiling Amir returned fire to the people with a stare of his own, as well as grabbing Khal’s shoulder, and resting his head on it. Amir was making sure that the people knew that they were with him. Now was not the time for him to share his potential mate. Even if the sight of his cheeks through the tight layer of his dark pants could erect a monk.

The stairs were lengthy, but it wasn't anything the two of them couldn't handle. Especially not when they had each other. When Khalfani was around Amir, it was like the world stopped. How could he feel this way in such a short amount of time? Khalfani hadn't even paid mind to anyone else around him who may have been looking at him. He was very much in Amir's face.

"What? Noo" he said sarcastically, though mostly the Eternal Nightmare mage was embarrassed at the thought of how much money was spent for this thing. Alas, his love language happened to be acts of kindness. Money was the least of his worries and he had no problem spending it on the people he truly appreciated. "It was nothing I couldn't handle. Plus, you deserve the best of the best." He kissed Amir's head as he laid on him.

The Minstreli beauty then continued on. Khalfani blushed as his date complimented him, raising the tension second by second. With every word he smoke, Khal grew became enticed. More and more. Eventually he would explode if Amir didn't stop.

"Mmm. You're one to talk, you've out-dressed me. I'm looking forward to taking you out of those fancy little fabrics by the end of this night." he seductively whispered to amir, his hand lightly rubbing his thigh as they walked through the door.

Visions of what the two of them would do after all of this took over the panther's mind before quickly he snapped out of it. Immediately music filled the air. Soft, jazz filled the first floor of the building as people shuffled across the floor. Some were moving to fill their cups with wine at the bar and others sat at the tables they were assigned to patiently waiting for things to start. Out of all the things that were special about this place, the most special was the people in the room. This was a place for people of color of all races, it was a beautiful sight to behold.



As they entered the building a robotic servant approached the duo. "Wow..." was all he could say, placing his hand on Amir's hand as his arm wrapped around his own.

"Names please?" The robot asked. About ten other robots rolled around the building, tending to the needs of guests without question. "Khalfani Morningstar and Amir Nuit." He said as the robot paused. Suddenly its eyes flashed a variety of colors. Then, "Reservation confirmed for Table 3, follow me." Despite being a robot it had a very humanoid voice. An experience of a life time and he'd spend it with someone truly worthy.

A million jolts of electricity sparked down his body. The mere touch from the Nightmare mage was raising the heat index in the room. “I keep telling you anytime you want. I don’t mind putting on a show.” Amir responded as he felt the touch on his leg. In his own rights Amir could be a little demon. He did not like to tease but would tease as well.

The view of the robot was interesting. The gears in his mind started to turn as he considered the mechanics of it. Magical engineering was not his forte. His especially was in general knowledge, Amir still wanted to know how the robot moved to an extent. The robot guided them to an elegant table. The white tablecloth highlighted the elegant silverware that had a shine as well. T

“We can take this time to relax. I can try to behave for now. I do hope you can do some nasty stuff to me later. I have wanted you since we met. As long as it is okay.” Amir changed tactics to the more blunt approach. A closed mouth may never get fed. He was maybe even debating if Khal had the stones to complete the task. Amir’s ability to be a handful was part of the reason he stayed away from people.

Lavish menus were given to them. Amir took the time to open it and see the possible choices. Amir turned to the international cuisine section. It was more out of curiosity than to actually order anything from that area. He doubted they could make authentic food from that region, that could taste better than anything he could make. He wanted to try something different but was unfamiliar with some of the stuff on the menu.

“I am not too great with what they serve here. You can order for me. My flavor palette leans spicy and sweet. Only thing I am not a fan of is sour.”

Amir smiled at the other mage. He wanted to test a few things. It was the scholar's occupational hazard to test and learn.

"Oh so it's like that then? Of course it's okay, I have something sexy planned for us after this." Khalfani said with a devilish smirk.

Amir was being as straight forward as ever now. It was evident now, more than it was before, that Amir wanted was was no doubt coming to him. The panther bit his lip as he allowed his eyes to linger upon Amirs very own jaded orbs before the menu dropped in front of them. Lightly, the Robot placed two tall plastic pamphlets with dishes from all over the world for them to choose from. Khalfani was excited for what was to come in the moments that followed he dinner. As the two men looked over the menu, a woman began to play jazz on the stage about fifteen meters in front of them. Her wings extended and suddenly everyone in the room turned their heads. "Good evening ladies and gentlefolks." She began into the microphone.

The robots continued working though. Khalfani's attention shifted to the woman momentarily, but continued to follow the menu only seconds after. "I think I got something for you." Khalfani whispered before waving his hand over to the robot. Quickly the machine rolled over to their table. On the stage, the woman continued. She explained that she was from Savannah and how she came to work here, then began to sing. The music was light, sweet and calm but her voice was alluring. Yet, it was not more alluring then the food on this menu. When the robot came Khalfani began to order.

"I'll take the 8-Ounce Joyan Wagyu Ribeye and a a cold bottle of Pink Moscato." He said quickly. "And for him the Kai Kang Dang. Also, we'll take a bottle of Odyssee D’un Roi Cognac as well." He said before turning to Amir. "You don't want anything else?"

Dinner and a show. The excitement in the place was through the roof. Amir did not care too much about it because it was common in Desierto. The tribe he was enslaved to would have dancers in scantily clad clothes, along with enough meat and ale to kill a tribe of elephants. The atmosphere was nice but not enough to grab his attention. The main focus of his was the one across from him.

“Nope. The order sounds delicious. I hope the pink Moscato is tasty here as well. I have tried some at the Fairy Tail guild hall before that was great. Then again the wine at that guild was better than most of the swill that I have drunk in Fiore.”

The desert scholar was currently nursing a grudge against the Fiorian wine. Even his time in the backstabbing country of Minstrel was made better because the wine was good. The backwards wine techniques of this country really lowered his evaluation of it. Good wine was one of the great things Amir needed to relax. How could he forgive the country for being bad at making it?

“So this is what it feels like to be wined and dined? Can’t say it is a bad feeling. I would normally never go out of my way to head to a place this great. All of your tastes have at least been proven to be first class. I guess you must be used to taking people around.” The last portion was more of a jab than being jealous, as Amir did not mention that Khal’s taste in men was first class as well. Amir did not need to brag to consider himself a total snack. He was humble, kind, smart, loyal, and decent looking. The scholar considered his date to be great but never doubted himself.

"Agreed. Fiorian wine lacks the culture. It's dull, but it does the trick when you need it." Khalfani responded, noting that Amir had visited the Fairy Tail guild hall.

The Vampire had to be very careful about how much alcohol he drank, considering he'd just puke it all up the very next day if not immediately. However, he had been able to deal with most of the urges now. Hopefully he could feel the effects before having to regurgitate it. The robot beeped and bopped, registering the order before rolling away. In the background the woman had been singing melodic jazz music. Some people were paying all of their attention, others talking amongst themselves but not loud enough to drown her out. It was a beautiful scene to witness.

The panther laughed at his dates next comment. He had been teasing and poking at him all night, but somehow he felt like this comment was a bit more serious. Was this a test? The vampire placed his elbows onto the table, folded his arms and leaned in closer to Amir. "You would think so right? Nah. On the contrary, this is actually the first real date I've ever been on." He smirked.

"Though I could say the same about you, Mister Minstreli. That's a country of elegance and class. Tell me you haven't had your fair share of dates." the prince dared Amir. He was far too beautiful for men and women to not have an interest in. Surely there were suitors contending with the Eternal Nightmare mage.

"I'm sure you have a thousand suitors just waiting for you to choose." he teased.

Amir gave the Prince an evil grin. “Believe it or not. This is my first date. I have gone on outings with groups of people, and I can be called a heartbreaker. Can you blame me if I did not find them worth my attention?” The scholar was a flirt but he had nothing to hide. To him flirting without intent to love was just another way to get what you want. Using people and being used is just a part of the game of life.

The entire time the scholar was making sure to look the living dead right in the eyes. He had no reason to lie yet made sure to show it. The eyes being the windows to the soul he wanted to show Khal that the only thing in his eyes were wisdom and kindness, the occasional murder and willingness to kill being absent for the moment. The robot came back with the drinks and complimentary snacks. Warm golden brown fluffy breadsticks, that had a scent of melted honey. The scent of them was mouth watering. The look of them was magazine appropriate. Amir did not even have to taste them to tell they were gonna be delicious.

“Besides, I had to turn them down. What can I say? My ambition is to support someone important to me. If I believe they are not worth my effort, why invest in them. You at least have a good look to you, a willingness to do what needs to be done, and some brain behind those rippling muscles. That is why I was surprised you asked me out.”

Amir was speaking as he put some of the bread onto both their plates. They were soft and flaky and did not require butter. The young man was tempted to just dig into it with his hands. He refrained and kept enough civility to use a knife and a fork. It was a symbolic gesture of showing his basic manners.

Khalfani cocked his head to the side, almost in complete awe. This was Amir's first real date, but Khalfani somehow couldn't believe it. As he gazed upon the figure of the enchantingly beautiful man in front of him, the panther realized that nothing seemed to add up. However, as he continued to speak it became clearer. Amir simply wasn't an easy target. With a chuckle, the Vampire shook his head. "You're something else." was all he managed to say in response. Suddenly the robotic server brought breadsticks and glasses of water to their time. The golden brown honey glazed sticks filled the space between the two mages. It was enough to Make Khalfani drool. It sucked that he wouldn't fully be able to enjoy it considering he'd just puke it all up. It really wasn't fun to have your humanity lost in the abyss, consumed by nothingness for what could be all of eternity.

Khalfani listened to Amir, more compliments came but overall the bookworm seemed to know exactly what he wanted. In fact, he admitted to being surprised that he was asked out. The Eternal Nightmare mage smirked, picking up a bread stick and tapping it lightly onto his lip. "To be honest, I usually don't ask anybody out. I don't exactly know how to explain it but when I saw you, I just knew I had to get to know you more. Almost feels like you put a spell on me." he joked. Or maybe he wasn't joking? It could have been possible, because the way he wanted to pounce onto Amir didn't make no goddamn sense. The night would continue with them enjoying the first half of what Khalfani had planned. The light jazz music would ring through the halls and he'd embrace everything that was Amir. What would become of them this evening? Only time would tell. Perhaps the vampire didn't deserve the Minstreli wolf, but he wasn't going to stop his own insecurities from pursuing him. This union felt almost....god sent, as if fate herself demanded this happen.

There was love in the air, at the very least, for tonight.

The food itself was already smelling divine. The looks of the food and scent could only be matched to an exquisite taste. The scholar had no doubt that this would be the best meal he would eat in Fiore.  Amir could not wait to dig into the rest of the fare that they could offer after grabbing a small breadstick with his tongues, cutting into it, and nibbling it off the edge of his fork.

A careful swallow and a sip of his wine. Amir listened to his date reply on the magic of Amir’s charm. The infinity wolf felt like it was a complement. The thought of which made the blood in his body rush to his face. He thought of himself as seductive and put on a front for healthy self esteem. It just felt better to hear such words and praise from someone else. Even if the words were said as simple pleasantries.

“Well. I hope we get a lot more chances for dates and to get closer. I am already liking how this one is going.” Amir would flash another smile before going back to work on the breadstick in front of him. The night was just starting but it would become one that Amir would remember for ages to come.